Caring (OUAH)
by J-Farraday
Summary: Gaster is usually a very busy man, making him rather distant with his adoptive children. However, as they suddenly get very sick, he can't help but let his fatherly love carry him. Gaster decides to be the dad his children need him to be, at least this time. (It's a prequel to my "Once Upon A Handplate" fic. Features HP!Gaster; his kids are my OCs.)


**This story is a prequel to my "Once Upon A Handplate" fanfic. If you haven't read it, you'll be pretty much confused by what's going on in here. It takes place three years before Noelle arrived in the town and undid the De-Code. As a reminder, during that period of time, the UT characters are all human, have no memory of their past lives and have different names (except Gaster). Taylor is actually Toriel.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Undertale", it belongs to Toby Fox. Handplates!Gaster belongs to Zarla. I just own Sam and Piper, and the human looks of all the characters.**

* * *

Gaster was sitting on the couch with his laptop on his lap, busy filling some blanks related to the hospital meant for the administration. His six years old children, Sam and Piper, were playing with toys on the floor. But Gaster was barely paying attention to them, he was way too focused on his important task. He was so concentrated on what he was doing that he didn't even hear when his daughter called for him the first time. It took a soft ball thrown at his head from Sam for Gaster to snap out of his working transe. The man glared at his son and said:  
"What did I say about throwing things at people, Sam? Especially at your own father?"  
"You didn't respond when we called, so I had to do something." - Sam replied with a shrug.  
"Ugh… fine. What is it? What did you want from me?" - Gaster asked his kids.  
"I wanted ask you if we can watch a movie?" - Piper asked a bit shyly.  
"Not now. Maybe later." - the father replied.  
"Why not?" - Sam asked on his turn.  
"Because with the tv turned on, I won't be able to focus on my work." - Gaster explained - "It's very important, it has to be done properly."  
"Maybe you can watch with us, and finish your work after the movie?" - Piper suggested.  
"Piper, I've already told you that procrastination is a bad thing." - Gaster said with a serious voice - "If you want to succeed in life, you must do all the important business first, and only then think about fun and resting."  
"But you never rest." - Sam pointed out.  
"Then you can guess how an important person I am. I am a doctor, the most __brilliant__ one of the entire hospital and the town." - Gaster's voice took a proud tone - "What would the hospital even do without me, I wonder? Anyway, it's because I never let myself distracted with toys or games that I became the man I am today. You should think about it and maybe start doing the same."  
"I don't want become the most brilliant and important doctor of the town." - Sam pointed out - "So I'll just play more with my toys."  
Gaster rolled his eyes at his son's words. He was about to resume his typing on the laptop as Piper called out for him again.  
"Will you play with us after your work then?" - she asked - "It's more fun when we're more…"  
"I'm not good at playing with toys." - Gaster replied, still looking at his computer screen - "Besides, I'm not sure I'll have the time today."  
Piper looked down in disappointement. Shortly later, as Gaster was absorbed in his task again, Piper whispered to her brother sadly:  
"Why Dad never has time to play with us?"  
"I dunno." - Sam shrugged - "Maybe because he wants to always be the 'brilliant doctor'?"  
It was true that Gaster barely gave his children the time and attention they wanted from him. When Sam and Piper were babies, Gaster did a good job at fathering, distancing himself from his work so he could give his children the proper care. But as the twins started to grow up, Gaster resumed his old working regimen. It was true that it was normal for a doctor of his importance to have a busy schedule. However, even when he had some extra hours at home, he usually wouldn't take part in his children's activities. Of course, he took the time to cook the meals, went to stores every once in a while to buy new clothes, taught them how to read and the basics of maths,... He was a good father in the practical aspects. But he wouldn't participate in the twins' games, nor was it really in his habits to read them bedtime stories. And if he had spare minutes between dinner time and checking his e-mails, he'd spend them smoking a cigarette. Also, Gaster wasn't much physically affectionate, rarely did he give Sam and Piper hugs, kisses being even rarer. (When was even the last time he kissed one of the kids?) At least, he didn't shoo his children away when they'd wake him up at night due to nightmares. Depending on the mood, Gaster would in this situation either escort them to their beds and stay at their side until they fell asleep, or allow them to sleep with him in his bed. But comforting wasn't always an easy thing for him to do. Gaster's close friend, Mayor Anderson Underwood, described him as being "emotionally unavailable", which was a pretty accurate label. Luckily, he and his wife Taylor were there to help out with the children when needed. They were the ones to give tips when Sam and Piper were babies, and they still advised Gaster on a regular basis. Taylor would even sometimes babysit the kids when she was available (which was usually at holidays, since she was a teacher). She was almost like a mother figure the children sadly didn't have. In any case, Taylor was a good help to Gaster in raising them.  
That day was one of those days when Taylor's help was required. Around fifteen minutes after his interaction with the kids, Gaster got a call from the hospital. He was needed to examine a patient who wasn't recovering that well after his recent surgery, experiencing some complications.  
"I'll be there within the hour." - Gaster said, before hanging up the phone.  
"What, you're going away?" - Piper asked.  
"Yes, I'm needed at the hospital." - her father said as he turned off his laptop and stood up from the couch - "I'll call Taylor so she can look after you."  
"I hoped we'd spend some time together this evening…" - Piper said with a sad sigh.  
"Well… you'll spend this evening with Taylor. She makes a better company than me, anyway." - Gaster replied, averting his gaze.  
And so, Gaster called Taylor, who gladly complied to the request. Around fifteen minutes later, the woman showed up at the threshold of the Gasters' house. All dressed-up to leave without delay, Gaster welcomed Taylor in his house and brievly instructed her what she should make for dinner.  
"Alright, it's all noted in my head." - Taylor said with a light smile, before her face grew concerned - "You really shouldn't overwhelm yourself at work. Why don't you take a few days off? Your children would love that."  
"Taylor, we've already talked about this…" - Gaster sighed with a tired expression - "I can't do that, I have too many responsabilities at the hospital."  
"And what about your parental responsabilities, hmm?" - Taylor asked.  
"My work is what permits to provide my children everything they need." - the doctor said, before opening the front door - "Okay, I really must go now. Have a good evening, Taylor. See you later, Sam, Piper."  
"Bye, Dad..." - Piper said, sounding a bit tired.  
"See ya, Dad." - Sam said as quietly, not as much in disappointement as in fatigue.  
As Taylor watched Gaster drive away, she sighed sadly. __"Your work doesn't give them ___**_everything_**___ they need."__ \- she thought, giving a short glance at the twins - __"It can't give them your attention."__ As she walked closer to the kids, who've been watching an animated movie since before she arrived, Taylor said with a gentle smile:  
"Alright, I shall go make the dinner soon. Meanwhile, why don't you tell me what the movie's about..?"  
She already knew that movie, since it was one of her daughter Francesca's favourite ones. She just thought that displaying interest in what the kids liked would please them, and that it would make an enjoyable conversation. It was the right guess, since the twins smiled and proceeded to tell Taylor a summary of the movie. They obviously enjoyed talking about it, but Taylor noted that they were perhaps slightly less energic than usual. But she didn't think too much about it, since it wasn't abnormal to be more tired or awake at different days. Taylor then left the kids watch their movie while she went make the dinner. It didn't take too long to make, being pretty simple. Taylor cooked three pieces of steak (she made it rare, so the meat being easier to chew than at a medium cooking), along with some broccoli and young carrots. To make it all less dry, the woman decided to make a sauce. After a quick glance in the fridge, Taylor smiled to herself and went for an easy roquefort sauce. __"This goes perfectly with beef."__ \- she mused - __"A cheese sauce also usually helps kids eat vegetables."__ The twins weren't really picky eaters, but safe measures never hurt. When the dinner was ready, Taylor called the kids, who didn't take long to make it to the kitchen. Taylor frowned a little, noticing that the kids' eyes looked a bit sleepy. Yet, it was still pretty early… As they ate, even though the kids did so with appetite and without a fuss, they looked tired. Their eyes were a bit glassy and their cheeks seemed to be somewhat flushed. But what really worried Taylor was when the kids claimed they were cold.  
"It's a bit cold in here, no..?" - Piper said wih a shiver.  
"Yeah, I wanted say just that…" - Sam agreed with his sister.  
Taylor frowned. The room temperature was warm, it wasn't different from the usual. Standing up from her chair, she put her hand on Sam's forehead, then on Piper's.  
"Oh dear... You kids are burning!" - she said, realizing they had fever.  
Quickly moving the almost empty dishes away, she took care to escort the twins upstairs. Once there, Taylor went in the bathroom and looked inside the cabinet above the sink, seeking for a thermometer. Luckily, she quickly spotted it and immediately proceeded to take the twins' temperature. She gasped when she saw that it almost reached 39 °C. Getting alarmed, she instructed the kids to get changed in their PJ's.  
"When you're done, brush your teeth and go to bed." - she instructed - "I'm calling your father."  
When the kids silently went in the bathroom, Taylor dialed Gaster's number on her cellphone. To her mild irritation, Gaster didn't answer immediately. __"Come on, what are you doing out there?"__ \- she mentally berated him as she waited - __"Pick up the phone..!"__ It took several long beeps until the doctor finally answered the phone.  
"Taylor?" - Gaster's voice said on the other side of the line - "What is it? I'm kind of in the middle of something, and-"  
"Gaster, it's your children! They're very ill..!" - Taylor cut him off with a very worried tone - "I... I think they may have the flu!"  
A short silence followed, until Gaster spoke up with a concerned tone.  
"What..? Are you sure it's the flu?" - he asked.  
"I'm not a doctor, but I've seen several children at school get the flu lately." - Taylor answered - "You know there's an epidemia…"  
"Alright, so tell me how high is their temperature?" - Gaster asked.  
"I just checked, and it was close to 39 degrees."  
"They looked normal this morning… maybe a little quieter than usual… If the fever went up so fast, it's definitely the flu." - Gaster said thoughtfully, yet nervously - "Alright, did you send them to bed?"  
"They... just finished brushing their teeth." - Taylor replied, as she watched Sam and Piper slowly exit the bathroom - "They are going to bed now."  
"...Good. I'll... I'll return home fairly soon, Taylor. I'll just… instruct the staff and then I'll fly straight home. Meanwhile, could you give them a fever reducing medication?"  
"Which one..? That's why I need you now, I don't know where you keep all your medicine." - Taylor pointed out - "And... I'm not sure what I'm supposed to give in the case of a flu."  
She paused, the meaning of what she just said suddenly puzzling her. Surely as a mother, she's already dealt with this kind of situation in the past! So why did she feel so disoriented now? __"It's really strange… I've treated Francesca when she was gravely ill before, right? Then why don't I remember what kind of medicine to give?"__ \- she wondered, but then she chased the thought away - __"I suppose it was just so long ago that I forgot."__ Taylor's thoughts got definitely forgotten when Gaster proceeded to instruct her.  
"Okay, so… Do you see the big white cabinet in the bathroom?" - he asked.  
"Yes?"  
"Open it, and on the highest shelf, you'll see a big plastic container full of various medications." - Gaster went on.  
"I got it... You know, I expected all your medicine to be sorted. How am I supposed to find something in that mess?" - Taylor remarked.  
"I don't have that much room for those, since I keep it hidden from my children's reach." - the doctor said with a sigh - "Now, may you look for a box of 'paracetamol'? It treats fever and pain."  
"Hmm... I don't see it…" - Taylor muttered as she looked through the different packagings - "...But I see aspirine. Will it do?"  
"__Don't__ give them aspirine!" - Gaster esclaimed, visibly alarmed - "Considering the children's young age, taking aspirine during viral infection entails a risk of Reye syndrome!"  
"What's that... 'Reye syndrome'..?"  
"It's very bad, it basically may cause severe brain damage!" - Gaster explained - "So __please__ find the paracetamol, Taylor."  
"I'm looking..." - Taylor hummed while browsing through the boxes attentively - "Ah, I found it!"  
"Nice. The dosage to give is written on the box. Sam and Piper should fall asleep shortly after drinking it. I'll be home soon and… then I'll take it from there…"  
"Alright. Please hurry, Gaster." - Taylor requested gently.  
Gaster promised that he would and then hung up the phone. Taylor sighed and after reading the instruction on the box, she gave the medicine along with glasses of water to the children. Very tiredly, they took their medicine, before letting themselves fall on their pillows.  
"Don't worry, my children." - she said with a light smile - "Your dad's coming home soon, and you will get better."  
"Dad's... coming...?" - Sam asked sleepily.  
"Yes. When he heard you were very ill, he decided to drop his work and come home for you." - Taylor said, certain that the knowledge of this would please the children - "He'll take care of you."  
"That's nice of him..." - Piper said with a faint smile, before drifting to sleep.  
Soon after the twins fell asleep, Taylor switched off the light of their bedroom and descended the stairs to meantime wash the dishes. She noticed the tv and dvd player were still on, so she took care to turn it off. Then she went to the kitchen and it took her long minutes to wash all the dishes they ate from, but also those used for the cooking. Once done, she went back upstairs and the twins didn't even stir when she entered their bedroom. She touched their foreheads and noted the medication still needed time to properly take effect. The kids' foreheads were still pretty hot and were sweating. For safer measures, Taylor decided to wet towels with cold water. Finding two small ones in the bathroom, Taylor turned the tap and thought: __"I hope you'll be there soon, Gaster..."__ It was right after she placed cold damp towels on the twins' foreheads that she heard the front door downstairs being unlocked. This meant that Gaster was back. Taylor went out of the bedroom to meet Gaster, who was going up the stairs with a flushed face, probably from the hurry, and carrying a small plastic bag with the symbol of a green cross. Gaster even forgot to remove his black coat and hook it up downstairs.  
"I did as fast as I could... I instructed Alicia for the next couple of days, and... I passed by the pharmacy." - Gaster said, showing the bag.  
"You still did pretty fast, though." - Taylor said - "The children are sleeping deeply, and I just put wet towels on their foreheads."  
"That's good... I'll take it from here." - Gaster said as he picked from his inside pocket a surgery mask he had taken at the hospital.  
Taylor nodded approvingly when Gaster put the mask on. She then told him that if he needed anything else, he could always ask her. Gaster thanked her for what she's already done and soon after, the woman went away to return at her house. Gaster pulled out the content of the bag and placed it on the window sill, to have it all within easy reach. He had bought a new pack of paracetamol, a bottle of cough syrup and some vitamin C (to help with the upcoming weakness later). After finally removing his coat, Gaster touched his children's faces only to be confirmed what he knew. Pondering no longer, Gaster went downstairs to the kitchen and filled a bowl of icy water, then took ice cubes from the freezer and dropped them in the bowl. When he returned to the kids' bedroom, he wasted no time in damping the towels again, before placing them back on the flushed faces.  
"C-Cold..." - Sam mumbled, still sleeping.  
"I know, sorry." - Gaster whispered, even though he was pretty sure Sam didn't hear him - "But it's to make you feel better."  
Piper didn't speak when the icy towel made contact with her hot skin, but she let out a tired and content moan. Gaster then sat on a chair and programmed an alarm in his phone to ring in two hours. It was so he could check the children's temperature and make them take their medicine again. Gaster looked at his sleeping sick children and sighed. __"I should've vaccinated them last week, like I originally planned..."__ \- he thought - __"Of course, I let my work overwhelm my shedule. And now, they're very sick."__ Gaster closed his eyes and kept pondering on the matter. __"I should've taken a day off or divided the tasks with my colleagues... Taylor's right, I don't take enough time for my children. But if I work so much, it's to guarantee a comfortable life for them. Working hard is just what I'm best at."__ Gaster didn't notice how he fell asleep.

It was the ringtone of the alarm that pulled Gaster out of his dreamless slumber. The sound also made the kids growl a little, but didn't wake them up. The father turned the alarm off and picked the thermometer from the nightstand. Carefully, he slid it in Piper's armpit. Half-opening her eyes, the girl mumbled:  
"W... What...?"  
"It's alright..." - he whispered to her - "Lie still."  
"Dad...?" - Piper aked, opening her eyes just a little more.  
Despite being only half-awake and her high fever, she recognized the hushed voice being her father's.  
"Yes Piper, that's me." - he replied, briefly rubbing his daughter's shoulder.  
The girl closed her eyes again. Soon after that, the thermometer beeped and once Gaster retrieved it, he frowned. The temperature didn't lower much, it was still beyond 38,5 °C. He hoped that the second dose of medication would do more. Gaster then checked Sam's temperature, which wasn't much lower than Piper's. Gaster quickly went in the bathroom to fill a glass with water before handing the pills to his children.  
"Huh...?" - was all Sam managed when Gaster shook him.  
"Sam, you have to drink this." - Gaster instructed him, as he handed him the medicine and glass of water.  
"...Okay..." - Sam said with half-lidded eyes and drank the medicine without questioning it further.  
In three loud gulps, the boy swallowed the pill and then let himself fall on his pillow, obviously drained from all strength. Gaster took care to pull the blanket up to his shoulders. He then gave a small stroke to Sam's brown hair, before moving to Piper. The girl let out a whimper when Gaster shook her awake.  
"Drink this, Piper." - Gaster gently requested - "Then you can go back to sleep."  
Shakily, Piper took the glass from her father's hand. After she swallowed the pill with the help of water, Gaster put the glass away and covered her with the blanket. Gaster then damped the towel that fell off her head again and placed it back on the forehead. He did the same process with Sam, thinking: "__This should do for now... Hopefully, the fever shall drop near the morning."__ After looking at his children, who seemingly felt a little better with the cold towels on their heads, Gaster decided he'd make himself a bed on the floor, sleeping on the chair not being the best option. After picking a thick blanket and folding it in two, he laid it on the floor between the beds. The man didn't bother to change himself, he just removed his shoes and covered himself with a comforter. He set an alarm to ring after three more hours, before falling asleep again.

In the morning, when sunlight could be seen through curtains, the twins woke up, their minds still pretty foggy. They were both very surprised to see their father sleep on the floor in their room. Not recalling well what happened at night, the kids were a little confused.  
"Dad?" - Sam called out for his father - "Hey, Dad..!"  
Hearing his son's hoarse voice, Gaster opened his eyes and shortly after, sat upwards. He looked at his both kids, who were giving him questioning looks. Rubbing his eyes, Gaster said:  
"You're awake... You look a little better than before. This means your fever's finally dropping. Though, another rise is to be expected..."  
"What's... that thing on your face..?" - Sam asked, gesturing around the lower area of his own face.  
Bringing his hand to his face, Gaster realized what his son meant.  
"Oh, it's just a surgery mask." - he replied - "Doctors wear those in the hospital, during surgeries."  
"Why you're wearing it now?" - Piper asked.  
"It shall reduce the risk of being contaminated." - Gaster answered - "When I'm not sick, I can take better care of you."  
Both Sam and Piper couldn't help but smile faintly at this. They then got a faint memory of Gaster taking care of them in the middle of the night; mostly his voice and a cold sensation.  
"But how are you feeling?" - Gaster asked - "Does anything hurt?"  
"...My throat." - Sam replied as he thought about it, not without a cough - "And my head too."  
"My throat's sore." - Piper said on her turn.  
The two children's voices sounded hoarse, and Gaster, waiting no longer, decided to give them syrup. Piper coughed a little while Gaster was filling the spoon with cough syrup. After he fed them the liquid, he checked their temperature once more. He sighed in relief, seeing it wasn't exceeding the 38 °C. True, they still had fever, but it was an improvement from the previous night.  
"Alright, the medicine's doing its job." - the man said - "For now, you should go back to sleep. I don't suppose you're hungry?"  
The kids shook their heads in response.  
"As I thought." - Gaster said - "Though, you must be thirsty."  
With those words, he showed a big bottle of water he had brought along at some point during the night. The kids perked their heads a bit, indicating that they indeed were thirsty. They didn't need to say anything for Gaster to fill two glasses with water. The kids drank eagerly, and even asked for more. It was a normal reaction, considering their recent high fever.  
"I'll leave the bottle in your room. You must drink a lot. And rest too." - the father said - "I'll let you sleep for the time being."  
"You're leaving..?" - Piper asked.  
"Not really, I'll be in the kitchen, making you some soup for later." - her father reassured her, speaking gently, before giving a quick look at his creased clothes - "...After getting changed, that is."  
Relaxing, the children got more comfortable under their covers. After a short consideration, Gaster placed comforters above their blankets to provide them more warmth in case they'd start shiver again.  
"Thanks Dad..." - Sam mumbled, but cringed a little, surely due to his headache.  
"Rest, and your head won't bother you for much longer." - Gaster reassured his son - "It's a side-effect of your fever."  
Sam just nodded slowly in response, his eyes closed. When Gaster turned to his daughter, he saw that Piper was already sound asleep and oblivious to everything. The father then drew the curtains a little more, so the daylight wouldn't bother the kids, before going out of the bedroom while leaving the door ajar. Once in the kitchen, Gaster pulled out a chicken from the fridge, along with some vegetables. From a cabinet, he also took a few potatoes. Later when the chicken was boiling and Gaster was dealing with the vegetables, he thought of his absence in his children's lives. Gaster was thinking about this not only because this indirectly caused the twins to get ill, but also because he noticed the subtle sparks in their eyes when they realized he's been at their side during the night. __"They want me to be near them more often… I'd like to, but I'm just not sure how."__ \- he mused sadly. After he dropped the pieces of potatoes and shred carrots in the boiling water, Gaster decided he could add some vermicellis in the soup, because he knew Sam and Piper liked eat soup more when there was thin pasta in it. __"It won't hurt anything."__ \- he thought - __"But most of all, they'll be pleased."__ The doctor didn't realize that he just considered something that may "please" his children subjectively, rather than on the practical aspect. Not that he was a man who totally neglected their likings, the process was just not as automatic as in Taylor's or even Alicia's mind. Gaster truly cared, but something just held him back from truly opening up to Sam and Piper. As though something invisible was tying up his hands and preventing him to embrace his children. When all the ingredients were finally boiling in the pot, Gaster reduced the heat to let it keep cooking for a little while. Sitting at the small table, he mentally decided with resolve: __"I won't return to my work until my children recover completely."  
__~~~~  
Things went well for the next couple of hours. When Gaster checked at the twins, they were sleeping deeply, and so he decided to let them be. Sleep was what they needed at the moment. Eventually, when the sun was setting, Sam was the first to wake up and the first thing he did was to drink some water. He made a face in process, swallowing being a bit painful to him.  
"How are you feeling, Sam?" - his father asked, walking up to him.  
"Not well..." - the boy answered honestly, then coughed.  
"Hmm, you need some more syrup. As well as eat a little." - Gaster commented - "I'll bring you some soup. It should also warm up your throat."  
"I am a bit hungry, I guess."  
A few minutes later, Gaster brought to his son a soup bowl emitting steam. Sam couldn't help but ask what kind of soup it was.  
"Chicken and vegetables." - Gaster replied, handing him the bowl.  
"It has vermicellis in it..." - Sam stated as he looked into it.  
"I thought that way you wouldn't fuss too much."  
But as much casual as he tried to sound, Gaster's voice held a subtle joking tone, giving away his good intentions. Sam frowned a little, wondering if it was true, or if his fevered mind was tricking him. But he was too tired to ponder on this. He decided to just start eating. But he quickly figured his hands were too weak and thus a little shaky. It was no wonder, he was sick and still a bit sleepy. When he almost splashed some of the soup on his covers, Gaster sighed and picked the spoon from Sam's hand.  
"Looks like we must come to this." - he said flatly.  
After stirring a bit, he then brought the spoon full of soup to his son's mouth. Sam gave his father a weird look. Was he really going to spoonfeed him? It was so uncharacteristic of him, Gaster being a man who wanted his children to mature fast.  
"Open your mouth." - Gaster instructed calmly - "You may not like this, but I really don't want you to make a mess. I don't feel like changing the sheets today."  
"...Alright." - Sam replied, opening his mouth, still a bit dumbfounded by his dad's behaviour.  
Even though it was true that Gaster didn't want to deal with messy sheets, the man had to admit that it felt in a way nice to spoonfeed his son. It actually felt nostalgic, bringing up the memories of the days when Sam and Piper were still babies. Gaster internally smiled at the memory - spoonfeeding his babies sometimes required to gather all his patience. Despite the ritual being a bit unnerving at first, Gaster eventually thought that his baby children were amusing, often making him smile or chuckle. __"It feels as though it was yesterday..."__ \- the father thought. When the bowl got empty, Gaster put it aside and picked the cough syrup.  
"Now that you're fed, time for medicine."  
"Yikes, right after a tasty soup..." - Sam commented with a grimace.  
"Do you want to get better, or not?" - Gaster arched an eyebrow at him.  
Sam didn't reply and instead just swallowed the spoonful of syrup. Gaster then touched his son's forehead and noted that it was warmer than normal, meaning Sam was still feverish. But he decided he'd deal with this later, deciding to check on Piper. After adjusting Sam's covers, Gaster walked up to his daughter who was seemingly starting to wake up. As Piper rubbed her eyes, Gaster asked her how she was feeling.  
"I'm a bit cold..." - Piper answered - "And everything hurts..."  
"Everyhing?" - Gaster asked.  
"My arms and legs... and my head..." - Piper replied tiredly - "And I'm thirsty."  
"Oh, here drink some water." - Gaster said as he filled her glass with water, then handed it to her.  
Thanking him, Piper drank the water greedily before falling back on the pillow. Gaster touched her forehead in concern and noted that her skin felt hotter than Sam's. Her fever was going up again. It wasn't unexpected, since the "V fever" (drop followed by another rise) was common during the flu. Gaster suggested her to eat a little bit, so she could get some of the needed strength. A little reluctant, Piper accepted anyway, and thus Gaster brought her a bowl of soup too. The portion was smaller though, considering the girl's reduced appetite. Gaster spoonfed her too, which made Piper grin a little.  
"Do you spoonfeed kids at the hospital too..?" - she asked him.  
"No, I don't do that." - Gaster shook his head - "Feeding patients is nurses' job anyway."  
Piper smiled again, thinking it was cool that she and Sam were a special case of a sort. After feeding her, Gaster gave her a pill of paracetamol in hopes her fever wouldn't rise as high as during the previous night. He explained her that the pain in her limbs and the headache were due to fever and that it would eventually go away. After he covered the girl with the blanket and comforter, Gaster sat down on the chair, programming the alarm in his phone once more. He had a feeling he'd have to check their temperature for yet another night.

The kids' condition didn't change for the next twenty-four hours. They were mostly sleeping, while Gaster was fighting to reduce their fever by medication or cold damp towels. Sam and Piper didn't have much appetite either, having eated just another bowl of soup and some oranges. The third day, there was an improvement. Sam was feeling mostly better, despite his coughing and weakness, his temperature almost returning to normal. Piper however couldn't quite fight off her own fever. It wasn't as high and concerning as it was the first day, but it was stick around 37,7 °C. Gaster knew that fever usually lasted between two and four days, and that it depended on each person, but he naturally felt concerned for his daughter. He wanted her to get better, and it saddened him to see her shiver or that she had a headache. The thoughts of Piper weren't leaving his mind as he was walking in between the shelves of the supermarket. Gaster had requested Taylor to watch over the twins while he'd go shop just for a few minutes. He had picked all the things he came for and was walking in the direction of the checkout, but then he paused when he passed near the toys departement. After short thinking, he decided to give it a quick look. He stopped near the colorful plushies. He smiled a little, knowing how much Piper loved those. She had lots of them decorating her half of the bedroom. Gaster thought that gifting her a new toy would make her happy. The man then picked one that caught his attention. It was a female cat plushie, dressed in an angel outfit. It looked almost like a cute soft doll. __"It's in Piper's likings."__ \- Gaster commened in his head - __"And what should I pick for Sam?"__ He wanted to be fair; since he was buying a new toy for Piper, he should buy one for Sam too. He then noticed a similar plushie, obviously from the same series, that fitted better Sam's tastes. It was a cute dog dressed in a royaal outfit; a dog prince, in short. The toys were a good choice, not too cheap, nor too expensive. The fabric was of good quality and the colors were bright. With a satisfied smile, Gaster finally headed the checkout.

Later, when he returned home, Gaster thanked Taylor for watching over the kids and asked how they were feeling. Taylor summarized the situation to her close friend.  
"Sam's coughing a lot. I gave him some syrup, along with a pill of vitamin C." - Taylor said - "As for Piper... well, she's still a bit feverish. She's had a fever dream, a delirious nightmare. I've calmed her down, but she asked me where you were."  
"Did you tell her I went to the supermarket?" - Gaster asked - "That I'd return soon?"  
"Of course, Gaster. I reassured her you weren't gone for long." - Taylor said, then smiled - "Even though it's in those circumstances... I'm glad you're being there for them."  
Gaster blushed just a little, before asking Taylor if the children ate. The woman replied that she just gave them some various fruits, since they weren't that hungry yet. Gaster nodded, thinking that he'd make a proper dinner later. While he was unpacking the groceries in he kitchen, Taylor smiled when she noticed the toys in one of the bags. She then wished him a good evening, before leaving. It was soon after that Gaster took the toys and went upstairs. He saw that his children were in the middle of a conversation, even though Piper wasn't that much talkative, with only her head being uncovered by the blanket. Gaster put on a new surgery mask on his face before entering the bedroom. Sam and Piper smiled when they saw their father.  
"Dad! You're fi*cough*nally *cough* home." - Sam said to his father.  
"I see you babble too much for someone who's sick." - Gaster remarked, sounding amused.  
"Sorry, but we *cough* were kinda *cough* bored."  
"Speak no more and cover yourself." - Gaster said a bit sternly, yet in concern - "You're definitely not healed yet."  
Sam obeyed and slid under his blanket. Gaster sat on Piper's bed and touched her forehead. With a hoarse voice, the girl asked her father:  
"Dad... Why Sam's doing better and not me...?"  
"Well, each child is different." - Gaster shrugged lightly - "Some recover faster, some take more time. But just because your brother no longer has fever doesn't mean he's alright. He's still sick, just a bit differently."  
"That's *cough cough* very *cough* true." - Sam commented.  
"You're sure, Dad?" - Piper asked, then her eyes teared up - "I... I won't die... right...?"  
Piper was a little scared of her own condition. Having fever for three days was no fun, because it involved weird dreams and sometimes pain. The little girl feared that if many things hurt all at once, this meant she was maybe dying. Gaster didn't answer immediately, since he was a bit taken aback by such a question from his yet so young child.  
"Will I... die?" - Piper repeated her question.  
Then, Gaster gently stroked Piper's blond hair and... he smiled very tenderly. Piper couldn't see his lower face, since it was covered by the mask, but she knew by the look in his eyes that her dad was smiling. Because his blue eyes were truly smiling, which was a rare sight. A sight that amazed Piper.  
"No, you will not die, Piper." - Gaster then spoke, his voice comforting and gentle - "I won't ever let this happen. I'll always make sure you and Sam live a long life. And you will get better very soon, I promise."  
Feeling moved by her father's comforting, Piper sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around him and burried her face into his chest. Gaster gently rubbed her back in a soothing motion.  
"I'm glad... Thank you, Dad..." - the girl mumbled.  
__"You're still a little baby."__ \- Gaster thought, but he did so with affection. He held his daughter close for another moment, before he pulled away and suggested:  
"Alright, why don't you rest some more? Meantime, I'll go make us dinner."  
"What's for dinner?" - Sam asked, lifting his head.  
"How about I cook your favourite ham and cheese pasta?" - Gaster offered.  
"Yesss..." - Sam hissed, raising his fist in a brief motion.  
"Sounds good..." - Piper said with a smile - "But... can you stay until I fall asleep?"  
"And what about somebody watches over you while you sleep?" - Gaster said with a mysterious tone.  
"...Who?" - Piper asked with a confused frown.  
Gaster pulled out of the bag the cat angel plushie and gave it to his daughter. Piper's eyes widened at once when she saw the new toy, and she would've jumped into Gaster's arms if she had the strength.  
"Oh, she's pretty..." - she said, hugging the toy close to her.  
"She seems like a caring one to me." - Gaster said with a smile - "She will protect you while you sleep and chase the flu away."  
"Thank you, Dad..." - Piper said with a large smile, before closing her eyes and holding her new toy close.  
Gaster ruffled her hair, before moving to Sam, who looked a bit enviously at the new toy his sister received.  
"I didn't forget about you." - Gaster said, then gave his son the other toy - "Here's a dog prince for you."  
"Wow, he looks so cool!" - Sam commented with shining eyes, before looking up at his father - "Thanks, Dad."  
"You're welcome."

The next day, Piper's fever finally dropped, which relieved both her and Gaster. Piper believed that the toy's magic actually worked, which amused her father. Even though the fever was gone, both children still needed a few days to recover, experiencing strong weakness and having a hard case of coughing. But they were feeling more awake than the past couple of days. This was why Gaster decided to spend some time with them in their room. In the evening, after making them some hot milk with honey, he decided to read them a book aloud. Gaster knew that his children loved when Taylor read them stories. Even though it's been a while since he'd read them anything, he decided to give it a shot. Especially that he was technically on leave. And so, he spend an hour and a half reading "The Wizard of Oz" to Sam and Piper, who were lying in their beds comfortably, hugging their new plushies and with smiles on their faces. When Gaster saw that his children were getting a bit sleepy, he decided to stop and resume the reading the next day.  
"It think it shall do for today." - he said - "You still need resting."  
After dogearing the page he was on, he stood up and turned the light off. Before leaving the room, he said:  
"Goodnight, my children. Have nice dreams."  
Smiling, Sam and Piper wished him goodnight in return. It was only after Gaster headed to his own bedroom that he realized what he just said. He wished them to have good dreams, even though he knew that doing such a thing was pointless. Dreams don't depend on anything but the subconsciousness of the sleeper, so why those mushy words? __"Sometimes, they make me do nonsensical things."__ \- Gaster thought to himself. And yet… it didn't feel wrong to him at all.

* * *

**A/N: This is ridiculously long for what it's about, lol. **  
**But it gives a better insight of what the relationship between Gaster and his children was like during the De-Code. It wasn't always easy, considering the doctor's issues, but there were moments like this one when he'd throw his rational self through the window and let his feelings lead him. **

**The plot is very basic, but I just have a thing for stories about an ill person who's being taking care of. Those are just so heartwarming! :) **


End file.
